System and method for verifying private channel data using synchronization log

Abstract

A computer system comprising: a global synchronization log that stores public data associated with private data wherein the private data is stored in one or more private data stores separate from the global synchronization log; and one or more nodes operable in a mode as a writer node that has access to write the public data associated with private data to the global synchronization log. A reader node may verify the public data on the global synchronization log with private data stored in one or more private data stores.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method performed by a first node of multiple nodes in a computer network that store separate copies of a global synchronization log implemented as a blockchain, the method comprising:
 receiving cryptographically-protected private data from a second node of the multiple nodes in the computer network over a private communication channel; 
 reading public data recorded in the global synchronization log, wherein the global synchronization log indicates cryptographic representations of data in private data stores for the multiple nodes, wherein the public data is a cryptographic representation of the private data, wherein the public data is read over a public communication channel used to synchronize the separate copies of the global synchronization log, and wherein the public data is replicated to all of the multiple nodes in the computer network while the private data is replicated only at authorized nodes, of the multiple nodes, in the computer network; 
 verifying the private data by deciphering the private data and comparing the private data with the public data recorded in the global synchronization log; and 
 based on verifying the private data, updating a private data store of the first node so that the private data store of the first node is synchronized with a private data store of the second node. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the private communication channel is an encrypted communication channel. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method includes the first node applying a cryptographic function to the private data to verify the public data corresponds to the private data. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  wherein the private data is a contract comprising a computer executable command. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  wherein the private data store of the first node is a private contract store configured to store one or more contract parameters corresponding to the first node's contracts with other nodes, of the multiple nodes, of the computer network. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprising monitoring the global synchronization log for a notification token, wherein the notification token indicates that the first node is party to private data corresponding to public data on the global synchronization log. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4  wherein updating the private data store of the first node comprises executing the computer executable command of the contract to cause a state update to the first node's private data store. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the first node is a member of a limited subset of the multiple nodes of the computer network that are authorized to receive the private data. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the private communication channel is physically segregated from the public communication channel, and wherein the public communication channel is a permissioned public channel. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the private communication channel is an encrypted channel embedded with the public communication channel, and wherein the public communication channel is a permissioned public channel. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the public data includes a hash value produced from the private data using a cryptographic hash function. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising verifying, by the first node, the hash value included in the public data based on corresponding private data in the private data store of the first node. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the public data includes a Merkle root produced from the private data using a cryptographic hash function, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the first node, elements of a Merkle tree corresponding to the Merkle root; and 
 determining, by the first node, whether the private data should be updated based on the received elements of the Merkle tree. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, if the public data is not verified with corresponding private data:
 requesting, by the first node, from other nodes, of the multiple nodes, updated private data; 
 receiving, by the first node, from the other nodes the updated private data; and 
 verifying, by the first node, the public data received over the public communication channel with the updated private data.